Log-turning apparatus.



J. A. WEBER.

LOG TURNING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1912'.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO PHOTO! onrrE i l" JOHN A. WEBER, or TOLEDO, onro.

LOG-TURNING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

Application filed June 2'7, 1912. Serial No. 706,169.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN A. \VEBER, a citi- Zen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Log-Turning Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates particularly to log turning means for use in saw mills or the like, and has for its object to improve upon the construction and operation of apparatus of this character, whereby to enhance the efficiency and commercial value thereof.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and while, in its broader aspect, it is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

' Figure 1 is a top plan View of an apparatus embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof with parts broken away, and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical View thereof acting upon a log to turn the same.

Referring to thedrawings, 1, 1 designate spaced parallel beams or frame parts, carrying-a set of bearings 2, in which a driveshaft 8 is mounted, and carrying a set of bearings 4, in which a shaft 5 is mounted. These shafts are in parallel relation and the shaft 3 carries a drive-pinion 6, which meshes with and drives a larger gear 7 on the shaft 5. The shaft 8 may be driven and controlled in any suitable manner.

Mounted on the shaft 5 preferably adjacent to each beam 1, is a kicker-arm 8, which is provided adjacent to its inner or shaft end with a longitudinallyextending slot 9 through which the shaft works, thus enaabling the arm to have longitudinal reciprocatory movements transversely of the shaft. A cam member 10 is mounted on the shaft 5 at the inner side of each arm 8 and has double race-ways a and 7), which respectively cooperate with rollers 11 and 12 on the arm at opposite sides of the shaft for imparting reciprocatory or log-turning movements to the arms, the race-ways being suitably fashioned for such purpose, as well I understood in the art.

The arms 8, which normally rest in the reclining position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, have the top sides of their outer end portions preferably formed with a broadening flange 13, which is provided on its top with spaced transversely extending ribs 1 1. These ribs form spaces therebetween for the insertion of the base portions of teeth 15, which have their points projecting outward and upward from the arm. The teeth are held to their seats on the arms by bolts 16, which project through registering apertures 1n the flanges 18 and'into sockets 17 in the arm webs, as shown. The arms 8 are eachlaterally braced relative to the shaft by bars 18 and 19, which are disposed on opposite sides of the respective arms and have their outer ends connected by a bolt 20 working through a longitudinallyextending slot 20 in the arm. The opposite or inner ends of the bars 18 and 19 are mounted on the shaft 5 to turn thereon, one being disposed-without the associated bearing 1 and the other between the adjacent cam 10 and gear 7. One of these bars, 18 in the present instance, has its inner end in permanent frictional engagement with the sh aft, the frictional resistance being regulated by an adjusting of the bolts 18', thus tending to causeeach .arm to revolve with the shaft, the direction of revolution being such as to cause the arms to raise from their reclining positions, as hereinafter more fully described.

As it is desirable at times-to exert a greater resistance to a relative turning of the shaft and arms 8 than is present between the bar 18 and shaft 5, auxiliary friction clutch means 21 is provided between the shaft 5 and the outer side of each bar 19, one clutch member being secured to the shaft and one to the bar. An engaging pressure is applied to each clutch means 21 by a relative inward movement of a lever 22, which is fulcrumed to a frame bracket 23 at one side of the clutch and has its power arm projected beyond the opposite side of the clutch, as shown, The levers 22, 22 are intended to be operated in unison to simultaneously apply the clutches to both arms 8, 8. and for such purposes they are shown, in thepresent instance, as having lateral connection, through the medium of links 23, 23, with an interposed upstanding lever 24,

which is fulcrumed between such links to a part 25 of the frame. The lever 24 has connection, through a bar 26, with a foot'lever 2-7 or other suitable control means, which, when operated is adapted to effect a rocking of the lever 24:.

It is found in practice that in order to prevent the teeth 15 of the arms 8 from digging into and defacing the sawed side of a log, it is necessary to incline the outer end portion of each arm 8 slightly from its inner end portion, so that the tooth d end of the arm will stand at a slight incline to the plane of cut when a tooth is in engage ment with the lower edge of a cut surface, whereby to prevent contact of the upper teeth with the sawed log side, as shown in Fig. 3. At least one tooth is preferably disposed below the point of angle of the arm.

In the use of my improved log turner, the operator ccnnects the driveehaft 3 to a suitable driving mechanism in any suitable manner, thus communicating rotation to the shaft A rotation of the shaft 5 causes the arms 8, 9 to raise from their normal reelining position, and to forcefully bear against the outer side of a log on an adjacent carriage 28, due to the frictional engagement between the arm braces 18 and shaft At the same time the revolving of the cams 1G with the shaft 5 causes ongi tudinal kicking or canting movements to be imparted to the arms 8, and a consequent turning of the log due tothe engagement of the arm teeth therewith. Should the turning force which is applied to the arms 8, 8 through the frictional connection of the bars 18 with the shaft 5 not be sufficient to force the arm teeth into turning engagement with a log, the operator then throws the auxiliary frictional clutches 21, 21 into engagement to cause a greater resistance to a relative turning of the shaft 5 and arms 8. thus enabling the pressure of the arms 8 against a log to be regulated as the conditions of use may require.

It is found in practice that my improved log turning device greatly facilitates the handling oi logs in saw mills and materially lessens the labor incident thereto, in addition to increasing the output of a mill.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction or arrangemem of the parts except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

In an apparatus of the class described, a shaft, means for driving the shaft, a kicker arm carried by the shaft for rotation relative thereto and for longitudinal reciprocatory movements transversely thereof, means operable by a rotation of the snaft to impart reciproeatory movements to said arm, brace-bars having their outer ends in s1iding engagement with said arm intermediate its ends and having their inner ends mounted on the shaft at opposite sides of the arm and in spaced relation thereto, one brace-bar having permanent frictional engagement with the shaft and the other having loose engagement therewith, and means manually operable to frictionally connect said loose brace-bar to the shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN A. WEBER. Witnesses:

C. VI. OWEN, S. T. KLoTz.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C." 

